


Day and Night

by magictactic200



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Angst, Eventual Romance, Heavy Themes, M/M, SO, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2019-11-06 22:42:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17948519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magictactic200/pseuds/magictactic200
Summary: After spending his 23rd birthday at a strip club with his friends Tidus and Wakka, Sora finds himself having a chance encounter with an exotic dancer, as well as finding out how a business card for a ballet studio that he's never heard of appeared in his wallet. Eager to learn more, Sora sets out to find out who the mysterious dancers are, but is it everything he's hoped for?





	1. The Hangover

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: Some chapters contain mentions of abuse! I will mention in the notes if a chapter has it or not.

Sora’s eyes fluttered opened as he groaned awake. He rubbed his eyes as he squinted at the digital clock across his bedroom.

_12:45 PM_

He had woken up extremely late today, but that was fine by him, as he didn’t have to work today. Or at least, he hopes that he doesn't. His memory was so foggy this morning, and he didn't remember why. How on Earth did he get home?

That's when it hit him - the pounding headache of a hangover. Yesterday was his 23rd birthday, and Tidus and Wakka took him to a strip club. But that's about all he remembered. Everything was so vague. He glanced over at his nightstand and picked up his phone, and saw that he had a few messages from Tidus and Wakka.

_Did that guy drop you off home, Sora? Or did you have some fun?_

_Wakka, it wasn't like that and you know it._

_Oh shut it, you smartass._

Sora scratched his head as he viewed the messages. A guy dropped him off? Why the fuck didn't Tidus and Wakka see him home if he was that drunk?! How on earth did guy get his address? He must have given it to him when he was slurring from all the drinks he had.

A sharp pain knocked on his skull, as if a dull blade was trying to cut through it. A loud groan escaped his lips, and he felt like shit all over again. 

_I need some aspirin and food to fill up my stomach…_

He thought.

And with that, he climbed out of bed, extremely disheveled and sleep deprived. This was not a good way to start a Saturday. He opened the door to exit his room, and made his way down the hallway, before passing a certain redhead typing away on her laptop while sitting at the kitchen table. 

“Hey, Kai,” he drawled. “Do you have any idea how I got back home last night?”

Her expression immediately changed into a frown as she slammed her laptop shut. “Sora, don't ever pull a stunt like that again! What were you thinking letting a mysterious person bring you home at one in the morning?!”

“Huh, so the guys were right. I thought they were trying to freak my out.”

Kairi was shocked. “How can you be so casual about this?”

“I'm fine.” Sora shrugged. “I made it home in one piece, yeah?”

“What if he assaulted you you? Or walked in after they found our address and robbed us?”

“How’d he even get our address?”

A huff escaped Kairi’s lips. “He said that he had no choice but to search for your wallet. You were slurring so much and being incomprehensible. Apparently you were complaining about wanting to go home and the guys were so drunk, they just let you go off with the mysterious guy.”

“Did you get a good look at ‘em?”

“Is that really your main concern right now?” she looked at him. “Don't answer that, rhetorical question. I caught a glimpse after I opened the door for you. It was dark, but all I know is that he has silver hair and he’s taller than you.”

Sora sat down on the kitchen counter and reached over to the fruit basket to grab an orange. “I wonder if he was cute. I should find out who he is and-”

“And fuck them?” Kairi interrupted.

“Kairi, I have _morals_.It would be nice to have another guy friend, that's all. I could use one, considering what Tidus and Wakka did last ni- Shit!” He gripped at his head, the throbbing headache making its way back, beating its loud drum indicating that he had not gotten rid of the hangover that easily.

“Ya never should have drank so much.” She threw him a bottle of ibuprofen.

“It was my birthday yesterday!”

“That’s not a legitimate excuse!” Kairi shouted as she walked over to refrigerator, rummaging through it for something to eat.

“You should make french toast and bacon for us. Since I feel like shit and it’s my favorite!”

A sarcastic chuckle escaped Kairi's lips. “Well, if you want that, you’re going to have to go to the store.” She slammed the fridge shut and proceeded to sit down on the kitchen chair, opening her laptop again. “I have a report to type up.”

Sora was _not_ in the mood to do anything today, let alone leave the house. But, if he didn’t buy the ingredients, Kairi would flip.

A lazy groan was his answer. “Fine… I’ll head out to the store after I brush my teeth.”

* * *

He made his way back to his room after brushing his teeth and got dressed, wearing a simple t-shirt and jeans. The first chill winds of autumn were peeking through, so he decided to throw on a light jacket.

 _Come to think of it, didn’t I wear this last night? It reeks of alcohol..._ He shrugged. _Eh, the supermarket is a quick walk._

He walked over to the front door. “Kai, I’m heading to the store. I’ll be right back.”

A distant, “okay!” was all he heard as he made his way out the door and locked it shut.

He walked down the stairs and out of his apartment complex as the scent of fresh air had finally hit him. The grocery store was nearly a five minute walk, three if he was feeling motivated to actually go. 

He strided, smiling at the other pedestrians he saw walking. Wondering where they were headed, and if the rest of the day would be joyous for them. Optimism was one of his best qualities, and he often realized that it kind of irked people, but Sora could care less. Those people weren’t worth his time.

Sora’s head was pounding from that god-forsaken headache, but, that’s what you get for drinking too much. It shouldn’t ruin his day. He also had some french toast to look forward to, so that prompted him to walk faster. The grocery store was within his line of sight.

* * *

“Your total is 15.60.” the cashier chirped.

Sora took his wallet out of his pocket, and searched for his credit card, yet his eyes laid on something that looked like a business card. It read: _Perfect Pirouette Ballet Studio. 423 Main Street. Riku, Instructor. For more information, dial 1-800-555-5555._ _Strange..._ Sora thought. _I don’t remember putting this in my wallet. Tidus’ girlfriend Yuna has a friend named Rikku, but it’s with two “k’s”, not one. Maybe I grabbed this business card by accident? Or did the worker from last night accidentally dropped it in my coat pocket? They did look in my wallet._

“Your total, sir.” the cashier stated once more.

Sora shook his head, snapping back to reality. “Oh, sorry about that!” he gave the cashier his credit card. 

He took his grocery bags after the transaction was completed and made his way back home.

The walk back home was riddled with questions surrounding that ballet business card. Sora’s balance isn't the most regal, so there's no way he would pick up that card. But there was something about it that enticed him. How did he get it? Who was the instructor? Maybe he should just pay a visit? A little curiosity never hurt anyone. 

He shook his head as he opened the door to his apartment. Hopefully breakfast and actually taking some aspirin would clear his mind. Hangovers are the worst. 

“Hey Kai,” he called out as he walked into the kitchen. “I'm back.”

“Hey. Has your headache gone down?” she reached over and took the grocery bags from Sora.

“Somewhat. But I really do need something in my stomach.”

“Then just sit and wait for me to make food. You're lucky you're hungover, I would have told you to make it yourself.”

A wide grin spread across Sora's lips. “Hooray for my bff!”

He watched Kairi work, dipping the bread in the sweetened egg mixture and placing it on the skillet. The aroma of it all made Sora even hungrier. 

Kairi gawked at his expression. “You're acting as if you've never eaten! Or is something else on your mind?”

_Right, the business card._

“Actually, there is,” he dug into his wallet and showed her the card. “This business card.”

“Ballet?” she snorted. “That's so out of character for you. Since when do you like that?”

“I apparently do now, I guess.” Sora put the card away in his wallet. “Found it in my wallet, and this is the same jacket I wore last night.”

“Maybe the guy who dropped you off dropped it into your wallet by mistake? Or they actually are a ballerina and-”

“And they want me to stop by!”

“Wait what? No! Sora, you have no clue who that person was last night!”

“Who knows?” his eyes grew wild with excitement. “Maybe it is the person from last night, and this is some crazy chance encounter!”

Kairi scoffed as she passed a plate to Sora. “Oh please. This isn't a romantic comedy.”

“Don't make fun of my favorite film genre!”

“Whatever. Do the dishes when you're done, alright? I'm heading to my room to finish my report.”

Sora swallowed a piece of his french toast and a muffled, “got it!” was Kairi's response. He took out his wallet and looked at the business card again. He should stop by and see them, right? If it was the person from last night, Sora could repay them.

_Riku… I wonder who you are._


	2. The Night Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku enters the strip club to get started for his shift, but someone catches his eye and he decides to drop them off home to avoid work, and to be paid handsomely in cash.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains depictions of abuse (I.E: the mention of tracking a phone, the mention of controlling who one's partner interacts with and spends money) - please heed discretion.  
> Also sorry if the dialogue sounds awkward in some parts! It's my weakness in writing, I'm much better with setting.
> 
> * * *

1 in the morning. That's when ladies night began at the strip club on Friday nights. And Riku was looking forward to it. Friday nights were his biggest tip nights, as women loved the mysterious aura he projected. The theme for tonight was “good cop, bad cop” - the clienteles favorite amongst all the themes.

Riku put his car keys in his pocket, and entered the club. Walking with his change of clothes in a duffel bag, he quickly made rounds around the club to check on the seating before heading to the changing room. _A low turnout. And just when I'm strapped for cash…_ He quickly bypassed the bar and came across a somewhat rare sight. There were three men sitting. Drunk off their asses, but sitting down. A red haired man, a blonde, and a cute brunette. 

_Why am I so surprised by men being here? He thought as he stared at them. Maybe they're gay? For fucks sake, I'm gay._

Male customers rarely came by during ladies night, they claimed that there was nothing spectacular, and that the strippers themselves were competition for the men to get a quick hit and leave.

One of the 3 men, with red hair and a slight accent called out, “Hey, hey! Looks like one of them is smitten with you, Sora!”

Shit. Getting caught was the last thing Riku wanted. The red-haired man continued, “He just keeps staring at ya!” he called out at Riku. “Do you want a piece of my friend over ‘ere?! We'll give ya 50 bucks!”

The blonde haired one was next to speak. “Wakka, stop,” he chastised the red-haired man. “You don’t know ‘em. And how do we even know if they're a stripper or not?”

“That huge ass duffel bag is a dead giveaway. Let's tip them now before he comes back in costume and everyone else takes his attention away.”

Good grief, were they that drunk that they were just going to throw their money at him? This would be the easiest tip he's ever earned.

The third man, with brown hair spoke up. “He's pretty cute, but way out of my league,” he glanced over at Riku. “Here, I'll give you 50 dollars for just being cute. I'm feeling generous.” He opened his wallet and waved a crisp, 50 dollar.

On the inside, Riku was full of pure excitement, but he played it off as cool and collected on the outside. _Holy shit, I'm just about to receive a huge tip for doing nothing. Jackpot._ He took the bill from Sora's hands and quickly stored it in his pocket. Glancing over at the bar and realizing that the coast was clear, he blew a kiss in gratitude towards the men. 

“Wait, come back!” the brown-haired guy called out.

It was the blonde one's turn to stop him. “The show's about to start, Sora. He needs to prepare.”

Riku made his way to the stage and glanced at the brunette. _Sora, huh? He's a little cute. And those eyes are enchanting._ He shook his head. _What the hell are you on, Riku? You're… taken._

He watched Sora drink a shot of tequila.

“Uggh, I want to go home…” Sora groaned.

The red-haired man glanced at the stage and gestured towards Riku. “Then have him take you home,” a smirk crept at his lip. “He keeps staring at you, you could get your tip's worth.”

“Nah Wakka, I'm not like that. An escort home would be nice. But nothing more.”

Riku fidgeted in place., _Taking him home wouldn't be bad. I've never done it, but with such a low turnout, I could earn more money. But what's the point? The majority of my money goes to Ansem. And escorting others isn't even in my job description!_

Wakka turned to Riku. “If you do it, my friend Tidus here and I we'll give you one hundred dollars. Each.”

“Hooray for generosity!” Tidus called out. “Think about it, this is one big leap forward if you want to leave this place.”

Just escorting this Sora guy home for 200 dollars? That's an extremely irrational thing to do, but in Riku's eyes, it was worth it. He rarely went out much, especially not at night. And getting all this money would help in the long run.

“Fine,” Riku said. “This is my cash app info.” he held out his phone.

Wakka grinned. “Nice! Well, there's your 200 dollars,” he flung Sora into Riku's arms, slurring. “Have fun, you two!”

This was the craziest shit Riku had ever experienced. Two hundred and fifty dollars over doing absolutely nothing except taking this dude home. Except…

“Wait!” Riku called out behind him. “The fuck is his address?”

Wakka was nearing to pass out. “That's for us to know, and for you to find out. Oh, and he has a roommate named Kairi. Have her text us that Sora got home safely, and we'll send you the money.”

Riku glanced at Tidus, who was now approaching the bar. _The other guy is getting a drink, and I cannot go there or else I basically scammed this guys. Ansem is bar tending tonight. I gotta get this Sora-dude home._

He made his way through the employees only exit, and once the club was out of his line of sight, he finally spoke up.

“Sooo… Your address?”

Sora was swaying. “You know… your eyes are really pretty.”

Now Riku was annoyed. He mumbled “thanks” and thought about how the hell he was going to get out of this situation. _I can't go back. Ansem will flip. How on Earth am I gonna find out where he lives without looking like a creep?_

Sora's swaying slowed and slowed, and then finally, he fell into Riku's arms. He was conscious, but incomprehensible.

_Fuck it. Looking like a creep it is._

Riku rummaged around Sora's jacket, looking for anything that remotely felt like --

_Got it. His wallet._

Taking it out of Sora's pocket and opening it to view his ID, he found out 2 things; his address - 400 Papou Street - and that tonight was his birthday. 

Riku's expression softened as he walked to the parking lot to get his car. “Well, happy birthday. Let's get you home.”

* * *

_I can't believe I agreed to this…_ Riku thought. _What if Ansem notices that I'm gone? It'll be a huge mess when I get back. I should have never done this. He stopped at the traffic light and exhaled. It's just for the money Riku, nothing else. Forget about Ansem. Fuck Ansem._ His grip at the steering wheel got tighter, his knuckles growing white.

“Ya alright?” Sora drawled out.

“I'm fine.” That was a lie. “Well, not really.”

Sora stared at Riku. “Wassa matter?” 

The light turned green and Riku resumed driving. Just a couple of more feet, and he was at his destination. “This whole thing is the matter, dude! Getting paid to just drive you home. Someone… close to me is going to lose it if he finds out.”

He flashed a grin at Riku. “Ah, you'll be fine. Scout's honor!”

“Let's just drop this whole thing. Why am I even confiding in a drunk man that I know nothing about? You won't even remember this.”

Sora giggled. “You're soooo stressed. It's so funny!”

The car came to a sudden stop. “We're here.”

It was then that Riku realized that Sora did not live in an apartment, like a 20-something year old should. It was a multi-family house. It put Riku to shame. 

Sora pouted. “Wha? Already?”

Riku unbuckled and exited the car. “It was a 15 minute drive. Now get out and open your door.”

“Riiiiight. Got it.” he shot Riku a sly smile as he exited the car.

Riku crossed his arms, clearly annoyed. “I hope you're not expecting anything else. Because it's not in my job description. Driving your here isn't my job, either. And you're drunk, there's no consent involved.”

“Relax, man,” Sora drawled. “It was just a quick drop off home.” he rummaged for his keys in his pocket. In _all_ of his pockets. “Uh-oh…”

 _Don't tell me…_ Riku thought. “You can't find your keys?”

“Nope… Lemme check under the mat.” He crouched down and lifted up the mat. “Not there, either. Guess I'll just have to ring the doorbell!”

“At 1:20 in the morning? Your roommate will be awake?”

“Mmmm, that's a good question. Guess I'll ring multiple times until she wakes up!” Sora rung the doorbell to his floor repeatedly and grinned.

The door knob for the main entrance rattled, and out came a petite woman with short red hair. Wearing nothing but a simple nightgown, she looked like she was ready to rip Sora in two. 

_This must be the Kairi girl. I just have to tell her to text Sora's friends, and I get my money. It'll be a piece of ca-_

“Sora,” Kairi growled out. “Why the fuck are you ringing the doorbell at 1 in the morning?!” she glanced at Riku. “And who the fuck are you?”

 _Wow, she's so polite._ “Your friend here is drunk, and his other friends told me to take him home since they were drunk and strapped for cash. Text them and tell them that I brought Sora home. We only rang the doorbell because he forgot his keys.”

“Who are you - I'm not going to ask you again. You didn't hurt Sora, right?”

“Nah, Kai. I'm fine!” Sora smiled. “See? And besides, getting driven home by a cute person for free is an added bonus.”

“Who I am is none of your business,” Riku began. “You’ll probably never see me again.”

Kairi rolled her eyes. “You're an idiot, Sora.” She glanced at Riku. “I obviously don’t trust you, but thanks for bringing him home, I guess. I'll text his friends that he made it okay.” She shivered. “I'm going inside. Don't stay out here too late.” She then made her way inside. 

Riku glanced at Sora and sighed. “What a strange night. I doubt you'll remember any of this, though.”

“Remember what?”

Riku shook his head. “Forget it,” he reached into his pocket. “Here's my business card. I feel as though this wasn't just some random encounter, but something… more”

Sora gingerly took the business card. “Is this like, your booty call info?”

Riku growled. **“I'm a ballet instructor, asshole.”**

Sora glanced at the card. “ _Perfect Pirouette - Ballet Studio._ And your name is Riku. ...It's a nice name.”

“And you're Sora.”

“Yep! That's me!” he smiled.

Riku couldn't help but chuckle. “Well, I have to go. Goodnight, Sora.” he walked back to his car and entered it.

As he turned on the engine, he noticed Sora was still fumbling to get up the stairs. It was an amusing sight. With a sigh, he began to set up his GPS-

1 unread message, and 2 missed calls. He had forgotten, he left his phone on do not disturb. Riku didn't want to lose his cool during this whole ordeal if Ansem called. He _needed_ the money.

_Where the hell are you? I’ve called you twice and you don't answer, and no one has seen you. Did you even clock in? I'm being generous by not overstepping your boundaries to track your phone; but I think I have to now. Get back here ASAP. You don't want to see me angry - you know I hate being the bad guy._

Ansem _always_ left his texts as one big blurb of ranting, rather than separate messages. It was something Riku took note of early on. It was better off to text like that, he supposed. It beat the anxiety of having multiple missed messages.

He set his destination to the club and began driving, yet Ansem's text rang in his head.

“‘I hate being the bad guy my ass,” Riku scoffed. “You're **always** the fucking bad guy!” he smacked the steering wheel and turned up the volume of the music blaring through the radio. 

He needed to get out. Out of that club, out of that shitty apartment, and out of his “relationship” with Ansem. But where would he go? There was nowhere to turn. The majority of the money he makes is taken by Ansem. If he found out about his hidden stash of money, he'd truly be completely trapped. Driving Sora home was a blessing and a curse. He made money out of it, yet he was going to face Ansem's wrath.

“Fuck,” Riku smacked the steering wheel again. “Why the fuck did I give him my card? It's as if I want Ansem to find out!” Anger seethed through his entire body. “ _Fuck, fuck, fuck!_ What am I supposed to tell Sora if he ever shows up? ‘Sorry, you need to leave, I have an abusive boyfriend who refuses to let me interact with any male! Never see me again!’” 

He pulled over and ran his fingers through his hair. “Dumbass. You want Sora to see you. You _want_ to get to know him. Even if that nice guy act is probably a lie.”

_Ding!_

His phone went off. A Cashapp notification. He earned his money from Sora's friends. That was all he needed.

A smirked played at Riku's lips. He had hit the jackpot. He just needed to make it back and deal with Ansem for a little while longer.


	3. Expectation vs Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wanting to know more about who the person who dropped him off was, Sora heads with Kairi to his only lead - a ballet studio. There he meets Riku and figures out what happens that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains mention of abuse such as:physical (a slap), control (a phone with a tracker). Please read at your own discretion.
> 
> Also, I forgot to mention the ages for everyone:  
> \- Sora, Tidus. & Kairi (23)  
> \- Riku & Wakka (24)  
> \- Ansem (26)  
> \- Leon (30) *he's in the next chapter*
> 
> * * *

It had been two days since Sora had found out that he was dropped off by a stripper, and since he found the ballet business card in his wallet. Normally, one would let these types of things go, but not Sora. He was determined to find out who the ballet instructor was.

“Kairi, we _have_ to see them!” Sora whined. “It's fate!”

“You want to pay this ballerina instructor a visit?” Kairi asked. “You're really that intrigued, huh?”

“Yes, I am. This is like something out of a novel!” Sora exclaimed. “What if this is my soulmate? Or a new friend?”

“You know, they _could_ be the stripper that dropped you off.”

“Maybe. That's why I have to find out!”

It had felt like having a song stuck in his head. He needed to know at this point. Curiosity got the best of him, and whether Riku was someone as crazy as an axe murderer or not, he was willing to find out.

Sora sighed. “I might as well go and see who they are, Kairi. It's Monday. They have to be working.”

Kairi began walking to the kitchen. “You're not going by yourself, Sora. You don't know who they are, and neither do I. But to make ourselves less hostile…” She opened up a Tupperware container. “Thank goodness we made cupcakes last night. It'll break the ice!”

“Kairi, you're a fucking genius.”

She smirked. “Yeah, I know.”

Sora sprang to his feet. “Then it's settled. After we get dressed, we're heading over to the studio! Perfect Pirouette, here we come!”

* * *

It had been two days after Riku drove Sora home. And for some odd reason, Riku could not get him out of his mind. He wanted to see Sora again, but he couldn't. It wasn't even sexual or romantic - he just wanted a friend. Being twenty-four years old and not having friends gets lonely. However, if Sora _did_ show up, he would pray for a black hole to appear and take him away. It was hypocritical, but he was positive that Sora would cause more trouble in his life, and that was the last thing he needed.

After he dropped Sora off, he went home. He didn't go back to the club. Ansem didn't take that lightly. He arrived at their shared apartment in a disarray, and woke Riku up aggressively, demanding to know where he was. Riku didn't have an answer - how on earth do you lie about dropping someone off for two hundred dollars? Ansem huffed and left the apartment and didn't come back until that afternoon. Who knows where he went.

 _I don't have time to worry about that right now._ He began to stretch his legs. _This studio is your happy place. It's all yours. No Ansem, no stripping, and no abuse._

Seeing the studio empty made his heart feel heavy. He only had a handful of students now. Ansem would make his schedule overlap with times when he would meet his previous students. Riku noticed that early on, too. Yet he thought that Ansem wanted to spend more time with him, and it was just a pure coincidence. 

Ansem made it seem like there was never time. Like a dog to its master, Riku was always there. In fact, for people like Ansem, they had all the time in the world. Time to control what you wear, when you sleep, and where you go. People like Ansem always had the last laugh, too. Anything you said would be used against you. Twisting your words into something vile.

Tying his hair back, Riku began his light warm up of practicing ballet positions. First position - He pointed his heels together, with toes pointing outwards. _I need to keep saving money to leave._

Second position - His feet pointed in opposite directions. _I have no other options at this point. I can't keep being with him._

Third position - one foot is placed in front of the other so that the heel of the front foot is near the arch. _I already have a back up plan to sleep here. The supply closet is basically a miniature bedroom. But how much is an average apartment in a good neighborhood?_

Fourth position - heels lined up, one direct in front of the other. _I wish I had a place like Sora's. It looked nice and warm. And his roommate was genuinely concerned for him. It'd be nice to have something like that..._

Fifth position - Two parallel lines with your feet. _His roommate must have scolded him about how dangerous what I did was, but would he look for me? Would he care? I know nothing about him. I'm stupid for giving him my card._

A voice, a male one, cut out Riku's thoughts. “Wow, a real ballerina!”

A female's voice came next. “Sora, we're at a ballet studio.”

Riku was in utter shit right now. Sora was here. He quickly reverted his feet back to its original position and stretched.

“Hello!” Sora called out. “I'm Sora, and this is Kairi. We're sorry for bothering you.”

“You're not a bother,” Riku said. His voice was cold and professional. “What may I help you with?”

“My name is Sora,” he scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “See, the thing is, I found a business card for this place in my wallet two days ago, although I don't recall picking it up.” His face flushed. “Except... don't really remember what happened two days ago though, because I was drunk at a strip club.”

Riku tried not to smile. “I see.”

“But he was dropped off by an exotic dancer, who said that they had to look through Sora's wallet to find the address.” Kairi began. “The only thing that adds up is that you're the exotic dancer that dropped Sora off.”

“Well, you would be right,” a small smile played at Riku's lips. “I was that dancer, but I'm also a ballet dancer. This is my studio.”

 _“What?!”_ Sora exclaimed.

Kairi rolled her eyes. “I told you, Sora.”

“So then why do you work at a strip club? And why did you drop me off?” Sora blurted out. 

Riku tensed and bit his lip. _What am I supposed to say?_

“Why he works at a strip club is none of your business, Sora,” Kairi said. “But why _did_ you drop him off?”

Riku fidgeted. He hated being cornered into question. “He kept complaining that he wanted to go home. His friends were stupid drunk as well, so they couldn't drive back, and they didn't have enough money for a cab. I had just gotten there to start my shift, so it wasn't a problem. His two other friends sobered up a while later and went home a little after I came back.”

It was the truth, although the part with Ansem wasn't. Little did they know, it was a problem. Everything was a problem with Ansem.

Kairi reached into her bag and handed Riku a Tupperware container. “Well, to repay you, we had some leftover cupcakes from last night.”

“Thanks,” he mumbled. “But it was nothing-”

Sora cut in. “Trust me, it was something. Thanks so much!” he flashed a grin. “Besides, I wouldn't have none about this cool studio, either.”

The door to the studio creaked open. Ansem.

 _Great,_ Riku thought. _They need to leave_ now.

Ansem walked briskly, wearing gray sweatpants and a black muscle shirt and carrying a gym bag. He wore his long hair loose, his phone in one hand, and a small box in another. His amber eyes hardened at the sight of Sora, and he quickly stared at Riku.

He made his way over to them, and stepped to Riku's side, casually wrapping his arm around his waist.

“Hey,” he stated, a little bit more colder than he possibly intended. “What's going on around here?”

Riku swallowed. “Nothing much. These two were interested in how much private lessons were.” Another perfect lie. How many more into Ansem catches on?

Sora looked puzzled. “No, we weren't. We were here because Riku dropped me-”

“Because I dropped you a business card when I ran into you at the supermarket!” Riku blurted out and then turned to Ansem. “Nothing more.”

Sora looked even more puzzled. “Riiiiiight. Anyway, try a cupcake! They're good.”

Ansem’s grip on Riku's waist tightened. “Why are you giving my **boyfriend** cupcakes if all he did was give you a business card?” He glared at Sora now, his amber eyes looked ready to kill.

Sora's faced had paled. He had no idea what to say. Luckily, Kairi knew exactly what to do.

“On top of inquiring him for private lessons, we also agreed to a photo shoot with him after we saw the place,” Kairi stated, her voice never wavering. “Sora's a photographer and I help him edit his photos. We love supporting local businesses, and these cupcakes are a token of gratitude on top of the exposure and the money he's receiving.”

Ansem’s face softened. “Oh, that's great news! It'll be great - business has been declining a bit.”

 _Because of you,_ Riku almost shot out. _You made my life a fucking mess._

“Well, we'll be off,” Kairi turned around and pulled Sora along. “We'll let you know when we're having the photo shoot. Nice meeting you.”

“Bye,” Riku mumbled. “Nice meeting you, and thanks for the opportunity.”

Sora was halfway out the door before he turned to Riku and said, “See ya around.” and within a flash, he left. His eyes looked sad, almost. As if he didn't want to leave yet.

Riku sighed. “What the fuck do you want, Ansem?” he shimmied out of Ansem’s grasp. His waist had felt dirty now, stuck with a layer of dirt that could never be removed.

“Wow,” Ansem drawled out. “ _That's_ how you greet your loving boyfriend who came all this way here from the electronics store bearing a gift?”

“Tch, get your head out of your damn ass. You don't bring me shit.”

“Correction, my love,” he placed the box gingerly in Riku's hands. “Open it.”

Riku stared at it puzzlingly.

“Go on, open it!” Ansem encouraged.

Riku opened the box. A new phone. The latest phone in the market, actually. It beat having a three year old one that was slow and had a cracked screen. “Why'd you get me this?”

“You're always complaining about your current one. So why not? You deserve it. I love you.”

Love. Such a foolish word that was thrown around so lightly. Yet, Riku was grateful for the phone. He did need one. But it just didn't add up. Why did he get a new one? Ansem doesn't do things out of the blue, everything is planned. There's a reason behind this-

The tracker. He texted him when he dropped off Sora that he was considering buying him a new phone to track it. Riku's current phone can't be tracked. He can't take this, he couldn't. 

“You know, I'm fine with my current one,” Riku said. “You're so thoughtful, though.”

Ansem smiled. “You're going to use it. I spent all that money, and as a bonus, it has a tracker.”

There was no way out now. He had to use it. Unless he found a way to set this phone up without Ansem being in the room, he could still keep the old phone.

“A bonus?” Riku cried. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“You know, when people get a gift, they say _thank you_ ,” Ansem growled out. “The bonus is included because I said that this phone was for my young son.”

“You're fucking sick, Ansem. You piece of shit, I'm twenty-four, I don't need to be tracked-”

_Slap!_

Ansem began shouting. _**“Well, maybe if you weren't such a bad boyfriend and liar, we wouldn't be in this mess!”**_

 _“Fuck. You.”_ Riku seethed, holding his cheek. It grew red, Ansem's big palm left a temporary mark. “And get the fuck out of my studio.”

Ansem huffed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean that, you know it. I hate being the bad guy.”

“Get the fuck out, Ansem. I'm not going to tell you a third time.”

Ansem rolled his eyes and took the cupcakes from Riku. “Fine. And you can't have these, you need to watch your weight.” he made his way to the front door, blew Riku a kiss, and left.

Riku gingerly touched his cheek and looked in the mirror. He didn't recognize his reflection. 

* * *

Riku was the most beautiful person Sora had ever seen. His seafoam green eyes and silver hair, his height, his lithe body, it was breathtakingly beautiful.

Kairi snorted. “You look smitten. I won't blame you, he is cute.”

Sora stopped in his tracks. “He's hot, Kairi.”

“His boyfriend was hot. That body. But he's an asshole.”

“Not my type,” Sora shrugged. “But don't get me wrong, as hot as Riku is, I'm not looking for anything right now. He seems cool to have as a friend, and he could model for some of my photos.”

“Win-win. A friend and a model. It could bring you way more followers and more exposure for him. People also love mysterious auras, and he sure has one.”

“See, Kai?” he grinned. “This was a good idea. And here you thought that it was an axe murderer!”

Kairi grumbled. “It was a small probability, but it could have been possible. Anyway, let's walk faster. I'm cold, and I want to take a nap. Days off don't come lightly for me, you know that.”

“Hashtag engineer life.”

“Oh my god, you did _not_ just say hashtag casually. You're on social media too much.”

Sora chuckled. “What can I say? I'm verified.”

Sora began to pick up his pace, the brisk autumn air pulling him along. He thought back to meeting Riku and sighed. _It was different than what I expected. Maybe something… more?_

But what did he expect? To also found out Riku was also single and sweep him off his feet? But he wasn't looking for that. Not right now. What did he want from this? To just leave it as a one time meeting and never see him again? Or to actually become his friend? What if Riku was a bad person? He certainly didn't seem that way. 

There was no point in getting expectations up. They had just met. Sora just had to face reality. But there is a way to change it.

Kairi stared at him. “Sora, you can’t force someone to be your friend. Remember that.”

“I know, Kairi.”

“Alright. But you should actually do that photo shoot for him. It would benefit the both of you,” she fidgeted with her hands. “I also feel bad for lying, and his boyfriend looks like someone who would try and find us because we lied.”

“Paranoid, much?” Sora stretched. “Don’t worry about it. And luckily I have a shit ton free time in my schedule right now. That huge photo shoot project I was working on these past few months with that huge popstar is over. I should stop by his studio one of these days and ask him when’s a good time to start.”

“That’s the spirit!” Kairi smiled.

Their walk still had a long ways to go, and Sora’s mind began to race more. He had to tell Tidus and Wakka about this, and get some advice from them. After all, they were the reason Sora was in this mess. As angry as Sora was about them abandoning him and leaving him with a stranger, part of him was rushing with a jolt of excitement. He wanted to know more about RIku. But what if he wasn’t everything he expected? Who was he, exactly? And why is he working at a strip club? Too many questions, and not a single answer. All he could do was hope and wait.


	4. How To Make A Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku's still on Sora's mind, so he decides to get advice from someone other than Kairi -- Leon.

It was a particularly warm day considering that it was October, so Sora invited Tidus and Wakka out to a cafe for lunch to talk about his second meeting with Riku. He needed someone else other than Kairi to give advice and to proceed with the next plan.

“Just go to his studio like a normal person and talk to him if he's free.” Wakka said, sipping on his lemonade. “You're making too much of a fuss over this.”

“Wakka's right,” Tidus agreed. “You yourself said you're not looking for anything romantic at the moment, and morally speaking, you and him can't. Just start with small talk!”

Sora scoffed. “Ugh, I'm tired of these generic answers! And why am I even asking you two for advice? You're the reason I'm in this mess!” He grabbed a french fry from his plate. “If anything, you two should be the last people I should be talking about with this!”

“Dude, _you _called _us _here.” Tidus said. “And if anything, it's not a bad thing. We set you up with making a new friend.”____

__

__“Fuck, you're right.” Sora grumbled. “But what am I supposed to do? Say, ‘Hey, remember me, I'm Sora! I stopped by to talk, and I was thinking maybe we could be friends?’ That sounds so… gross!”_ _

__Wakka stared at Sora, dumbfounded. “Uh, yeah. That's how you make friends, dumbass. And once you start talking, if you have something in common, go from there.”_ _

__“It's just so haaaaard… I'll probably fuck it up and die.” Sora slumped his face onto the table._ _

__Tidus chimed in. “Why not ask you brother for advice?”_ _

__“You have a brother? Since when?” Wakka asked._ _

__Sora sat up. “Tidus, you're a genius.” He turned to Wakka. “He's not my actual brother, we just grew up together and he looked out for me a lot when I was a kid. He also the one who convinced me to move away from home. You've never met him before. His name's Leon.”_ _

__“Ooh, that edgy guy with the scar that video chatted you on your birthday?”_ _

__“Yeah, him.” Sora checked his watch. “He's a history teacher at a nearby high school, but if I make it there within the next twenty minutes, I'll catch him right at the start of his lunch break.”_ _

__“Will he even give you decent advice? Or even see you?” Tidus asked. “He's a little… antisocial.”_ _

__“Of course he'll see me!” Sora said as he reached into his wallet. “Here's a twenty, I gotta head out.” He placed the bill on the table and began to leave the cafe._ _

__“Keep us posted!” Wakka called out._ _

__“Will do!” Sora yelled from over his shoulder._ _

__Wakka leaned back in his chair. “Ten dollars that he won't take any of Leon's advice, or ours.”_ _

__“You don't even have to bet,” Tidus chuckled. “Sora always moves at his own tempo.”_ _

__They watched their friend reach the parking lot and saw him enter his car and take off; thoughts of worry entering their minds. Was Sora getting in over his head with this? What if this Riku wanted nothing to do with him? Only time could tell._ _

* * *

The high school Leon worked at was just up ahead, and although Sora was eager to see his friend, dread filled the pit of his stomach. What if Leon completely shut down the idea of even seeing Riku again? What if that was actually the right thing to do? 

__Sora parked the car and shook his head, trying not to let negative thoughts run through his mind. He got out of the car and began to walk towards the entrance._ _

__Opening the entrance to the school, Sora made his way to the front desk and signed in, with the secretary paging Leon to inform him that he had arrived, and to quickly head upstairs and retrieve him._ _

__Sora heard a gentle click of heeled shoes, and stared. It was odd to see Leon out of grungy attire. He was walking towards him, wearing a white button up, khakis, and a black blazer, with a lunchbox in his hand. Basic teacher attire, yet he pulled it off well. He had his reading glasses dangling from the collar of his shirt, and his expression was emotionless. He walked cool and collected, his eyes looking straight into Sora's._ _

__“Hey,” he drawled out, completely monotone. “What brings you here? I was about to head out and get lunch.”_ _

__“I kinda need your advice on something.” Sora said sheepishly. “Well, not kinda. I really need your advice.”_ _

__Leon stared at him, a completely blank expression. “Let's head to the nearby park. Then we'll talk.”_ _

* * *

“...And that's basically how I met him. Crazy story, huh?” Sora tried to smile as he saw that Leon's expression had become more and more concerned as the story went on. 

__Leon reached into his back pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, as well as a pair of leather gloves. He put on the gloves and reached into the packet of cigarettes, grabbed one and lit it._ _

__“It's so my hands don't smell,” He clarified to Sora, as he sat up on the park bench._ _

__He took a puff of his cigarette and exhaled. “You let an unknown person drive you home?” He asked. “Are you crazy?”_ _

__“Maybe I am, but I'm a grown adult, I can make my own decisions.” Sora pouted._ _

__“That decision could have led to your death, an assault, or a robbery.” Leon stated._ _

__“And your decision to smoke is going to cause your death,” Sora rebutted. “Didn't Rinoa tell you to quit?”_ _

__Leon waved a hand at the air. “I'm gonna quit soon. We're planning to start having a baby in the next couple of months or so, but that's not the point right now. The point is you.”_ _

__“Damn. There goes my chance at distracting you by changing the subject.”_ _

__“In all the years that you've known me, you know that never works.” Leon leaned back into the bench, taking another drag from his cigarette. “What's your motive?”_ _

__“Huh?”_ _

__“Why do you want to see this person again so badly?”_ _

__Sora blinked. Did he actually have a reason?_ _

__“To make a new friend…?” He trailed off. “I'm not sure.”_ _

__“Do you find him attractive?”_ _

__“Yeah. But he has a boyfriend.”_ _

__Leon let out a small laugh._ _

__“What's so funny?” Sora asked._ _

__“I think you're experiencing lust, little brother.” He said. “You find him attractive, mysterious - he's a stripper for crying out loud. And he's taken. You want something that you can't have.”_ _

__“But I'm not looking for a relation-”_ _

__Leon interrupted. “You keep saying that you're not but are you sure, or are you lying to yourself?” He stared at Sora. “Your most recent romantic relationships haven't been the best for you, and I think you've just developed a defense mechanism because of that.”_ _

__Sora scoffed and rolled his eyes._ _

__“See, and now you're upset because I'm right.” Leon took the last drag of his cigarette and put it out. “It's okay to be vulnerable and open, Sora. Just because you've had bad relationships, it doesn't mean that you have to put your walls up and never let anyone in. That's not healthy.”_ _

__“Says the extremely antisocial person.” Sora mocked._ _

__“Yes, but I've found someone to help me through my flaws and to help me grow as a person. You have to find that for yourself.” Leon shrugged as he removed his gloves. “You’ve got to stop isolating yourself from people who care about you. But I could be wrong. Maybe making this new friend is a step in the right direction - Maybe it’s not lust.”_ _

__Sora stared ahead, watching couples walk past. He stared at Leon’s wedding ring and felt a pit in his stomach. He was envious, and he felt like shit because of it. Everything happens at its own pace, there was no need to rush for a relationship. Yet part of him felt empty. He wanted to feel loved in a more intimate way, he wanted to just let himself go into the arms of another. It often felt selfish to even think about, but didn't he deserve a chance at happiness, too?_ _

__Leon sighed. “I know it's tough. And you feel all sorts of emotions right now.”_ _

__“That's not it, man.” Sora huffed. “I'm just… I'm jealous.”_ _

__Leon's eyes widened. “Jealous? Of what?”_ _

__Sora gritted his teeth. “Of **you** , Squall! These couples walking around, Riku himself - I'm jealous because I'm not in a romantic relationship and I've never had a healthy one!”_ _

__Leon sat up. “So it's serious then, if you're using my actual name.”_ _

__“Yeah…” Tears began to prick at Sora's eyes. He felt good getting it off of his chest, but dumb that such silly feelings were causing him to act like this._ _

__Leon hesitated. Comforting was never his strong suit, everyone says that he acts like a robot when people get emotional around him. He sighed and dug in his shirt pocket, pulled out a handkerchief, and handed it to Sora._ _

__“Thanks.” Sora wiped his tears. “...This has wings on it.”_ _

__“It's Rinoa's - that's why.” Leon replied. “Look, you shouldn't feel bad for feeling like this. I've been there before.”_ _

__Sora sighed and rested his chin in his hands. “What do I do now?”_ _

__“You wait. You can't force a relationship, especially not a romantic one.” Leon stared at his watch. “I have to head back to work now. I suggest, to get things off your mind and to see a new face, go visit that Riku guy.”_ _

__“But you just told me that he could be a bad thing to pursue!”_ _

__“I know what I said.” Leon snapped. “But just go. You're not even working right now - you have no commissions, and you need someone new to see. Go actually see if he wants a real photoshoot - not a lie - and talk to him. You're starting fresh.”_ _

__“You want me to go when?” Sora asked. “Tomorrow?”_ _

__“Go right now. You need a fresh start to get all these feelings out of your mind.” Leon stood up and took the handkerchief from Sora's hands._ _

__Sora blinked. Leon, actually telling him to… interact with someone? That's a start._ _

__“Squall.” Sora called out._ _

__“Hm?”_ _

__Sora smiled. “You have changed. It's nice.”_ _

__“Whatever.” Leon grumbled. “Now let's head back to the school. You parked your car there, right?”_ _

__“Yeah.”_ _

__Sora stood up and followed Leon, thoughts of what to say to Riku racing through his mind. It was okay to see him, right? He wasn't crossing any boundaries, and he didn't intend to. The excitement and nervousness of it all brought about butterflies in his stomach. He didn't know what to do when he finally got to Riku._ _

* * *

__

“Well, this is our stop.” Leon had stopped walking, now facing the entrance of the school building. “Keep me posted, and don't do anything reckless.” 

__“Will do.” Sora smiled. “Thanks, Leon.”_ _

__Leon turned around and headed towards the door. “See ya.” With a backhand wave, he was gone._ _

__Sora headed towards the parking lot and reached into his pocket for his car keys. Opening the door and starting the car, he inputted Riku's studio into his GPS, and drove off, goosebumps pricking at his skin._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for just going MIA, I had a severe burnout with writing and KH, and I ended up looking after my grandmother for most of the summer. Uploading will be pretty sporadic as school started up again. Sorry for any inconvience. I also apologize for this chapter ending really weirdly, (I consider this one of the weaker chapters) I was stuck on it for a while, so I divided it in half to make it flow somewhat better. Thank you for reading!


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